University News
Faculty Member Serves in New Orleans
In November 2006, Jessica Grimes took a group of Hope and CSUF students to the St. Bernard Parrish district of New Orleans, Louisiana, a district ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. While they were there, they took part in the relief efforts through providing food, supplies, and much needed labor. Her experience with that group has instilled a desire to help the many families that were devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
During that trip, Grimes witnessed a separation between relief workers and the community they were helping. She saw a need for a place where social workers and relief workers could work closely with the community and better connect with the people of that community. She believed that the large relief camps set up around New Orleans could not adequately provide ministry teams the means to work with the community on a personal level.
In order to solve this problem, Grimes purchased a home inside the St. Bernard Parrish community and renovated it to be suitable for hosting missions teams, relief teams, and social workers who come to serve the community. The house allows groups to work closely with the community, and also provides a place for the teams to debrief after a long days work.
Grimes is in the process of gaining non-profit status for the home to raise funds for providing mental health services and after school programs. She believes that it is critical to not only repair the structural damage left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, but the psychological damage as well.
In April 2007, Grimes was named an Outstanding Part-Time Faculty Member for Cal State Fullerton’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences. In addition to her part-time work at CSUF, she works full time at Hope International University as the Assistant Professor of Social Science, Chair of the Department of Arts & Sciences, and Assessment Coordinator for the School of Professional Studies. She also teaches courses at Pacific Christian College and serves as a member the Academic Master Planning Committee and the University Assessment Committee.